ciao ciao
/ˈt͡ʃa.o ˈt͡ʃa.o/word by word
The English phrase "bye bye" is translated into Italian as ciao ciao.
ciao ciao is used to say goodbye, typically when the speaker is the one leaving or when a conversation is ending abruptly and casually.
Which one should you use?
While the single word ciao can mean both "hi" and "bye," the doubled form ciao ciao is used exclusively for saying goodbye.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ciao ciao is an informal way to say goodbye. It is often perceived as cute or affectionate and is frequently used when speaking to children or close friends. For more formal situations, you should use Arrivederci, Buona giornata (have a good day) or Buonasera (good evening) when parting during the evening.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈtʃa.o ˈtʃa.o/. It consists of 4 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The root of ciao is the Medieval Latin word sclavus, which is also the ancestor of the English word 'slave'.
- The phrase ciao ciao is frequently used when hanging up the phone, even if the person is not physically leaving a room.
- In Italian culture, the spoken phrase is often accompanied by a physical wave, but when saying ciao ciao to a child, the gesture is often much more exaggerated and playful than with adults.
Examples in context
- Arrivederci, Signor Rossi. Grazie per l'incontro.Goodbye, Mr. Rossi. Thank you for the meeting.
- Grazie per l'aiuto. Buona giornata!Thank you for your help. Have a good day!
- Ciao ragazzi! Ci vediamo presto.Bye guys! See you soon.
- A presto, Marco. Buon weekend!See you soon, Marco. Have a good weekend!
- Va bene, ci sentiamo più tardi!Alright, we'll be in touch later!
- Ciao ciao, a domani!Bye bye, see you tomorrow!
- Ciao ciao, ci sentiamo presto.Bye bye, we'll talk soon.
- Ti mando un bacio, ciao ciao!I send you a kiss, bye bye!
Example conversation
Matteo and Sofia are leaving a coffee shop after meeting.
- MatteoÈ stato bello vederti, Sofia.It was nice to see you, Sofia.
- SofiaAnche per me, Matteo. Ciao ciao!Me too, Matteo. Bye bye!
- MatteoCiao ciao, buon pomeriggio!Bye bye, have a good afternoon!
- SofiaGrazie, altrettanto!Thanks, you too!
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (ciao) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ciao, CC BY-SA 4.0.
